Cabinet for portable radio receiver sets



May 18, 1943 M. ZAVATTARO CABINET FOR PORTABIQE RADIO RECEIVER SETSFiled Aug 22, 1940 I IINVENTOR MAR/0 2/! VA TTARO ATTORN EY Patented May18, 1943 1 CABINET FOR PORT SETS Mario Zavattaro, Milan, Italy, assignorto Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Del-' awareApplication August 22, 1940, Serial No. 353,629 In Italy September 8,1939 2 Claims. (01. 250-14) The present invention is concerned with acase or cabinet for radio receiver apparatus and it more particularlyconcerns and has as it object a cabinet adapted to accommodate andcontain a portable radio receiver set under conditions enhancing itsutility and its appearance.

It is a well-known fact that the dimensions of portable radio receiverapparatus must be reduced to a minimum, in fact, to this end some of thedemands and requirements conducive to satisfactory operation are oftensacrificed. More particularly speaking, the dimensions to be chosen forthe loudspeaker are such that it is not always feasible to insure goodsound reproduction and fidelity.

The invention has as its object to obviate the said inconvenience ofportable radio receiver sets, at least where these are used in a fixedplace, for instance, in the home. This end is attained, for use of aportable set in a fixed place, by providing a cabinet having dimensionsgreater than those necessary to accommodate the apparatus so that, whenthe set is mounted in its place, there remains an empty space in whichto place elements adapted to be associated with the radio receiver setand to insure more satisfactory operation thereof, that is, preferably aloudspeaker of standard dimensions, In this latter instance, the saidspace acts also as a resonance box or chamber for the spare or standbyloudspeaker.

The appended drawing shows by way of example an embodiment of theinvention. Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the cabinet, with the radioreceiver apparatus mounted in place therein. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectionalong the line 22 with certain modifications as regards the electricalconnection means between the radio receiver and the loudspeaker disposedinside the cabinet, and Fig. 3 shows in diagrammatic fashion theconnections between the several elements in accordance with themodification of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, I denotes the radio receiver of reduceddimensions, a complete unit in itself and comprising its own small-sizedcasing. 2 indicates the fixed cabinet designated to accommodate theportable set when and if the latter is to be used, for instance, insidethe home. As can be seen from the drawing, the cabinet 2, in ahorizontal direction, has dimensions much greater than those of set I,so that the latter leaves an empty space 3 which is bounded by thecabinet and a .lateral wall or partition 4.

The space 3 may be used to advantage for accommodating therein spareparts adapted to be connected with the receiver apparatus I for thepurpose of its operation when placed inside the cabinet 2.

More precisely speaking, inside the space 3 couldadvantageously bedisposed in an organic manner a loudspeaker 6 of normal or standarddimensions. For instance, by means of a chord or cable I, the saidloudspeaker could be united with the output end of the radio receiverapparatus I, the latter, with this end in view, being provided with afemale terminal or socket 8 designed to introduce therein the plug 9 ofcable 1. The said plug is of the same type as the jacks used intelephone equipment so that, when the plug has been introduced in thesocket, the loudspeaker 5 of the radio receiver set is disconnected,while in its stead is connected the loudspeaker 6.

Thus when the radio receiver apparatus I is placed inside the cabinet 2and the plug 9 attached to cable or chord I has been inserted in socket8, the sound will be rendered by the loudspeaker 6, that is,reproduction is as under normal conditions. But when the user desires totake the apparatus somewhere else, all that he has to do is to separatethe plug 9 from the socket 8 and remove from the cabinet the apparatusI, and, since the latter has its own small cabinet or casing, it can bereadily used.

Instead of using a cable I for establishing a connection between thenormal loudspeaker 6 and the radio receiver apparatus I, such connectioncould also be established in an automatic manner. For this purpose,there are mounted in a wall or panel of the cabinet 2 and in thecorresponding wall of the radio receiver apparatus I spring contactelements I0 and III respectively adapted to make pressure engagementwith each other, when the apparatus I has been put in place andconnected, on the one hand, with the loudspeaker 6, and, on the otherhand, with the output circuit of the radio receiver set. The connectionsabove described are shown more clearly in Fig. 3.

In this case the substitution of the normal loudspeaker 6 forloudspeaker 5 contained in the radio receiver set is brought aboutautomatically the instant the radio receiver apparatus I is introducedinto the cabinet 2.

To insure the exact position of the radio receiver set I in the interiorof the cabinet 2, and to the end of facilitating the introduction aswell as the withdrawal thereof it is advantageous to provide the base ofthe cabinet 2 where the set I is to be mounted normally, with guidemeans I I of a kind to correspond to and match similar guide means to bearranged on the bottom of the radio receiver set I.

Upon the supporting board or base are also disposed spring means l2which form elastic arrests designed to lock the apparatus E in positionas soon as it has been placed inside the cabinet 2.

With a cabinet or case of the kind as here-- inbefore disclosed, aportable apparatus is placed in condition to reproduce sound withgreater fidelity Whenever it is used inside the cabinet so that,optionally in combination with spare or standby elements andauxiliaries, creates conditions conducive to a better utilization, Whileat the same time giving the radio receiver apparatus the appearance of astandard set.

I claim:

1. In combination, a cabinet provided with a front panel, one portion ofwhich is fitted with a grille and another portion being completely open,a portable radio receiver, complete in itself. adapted to occupy thespace behind said panel opening of the cabinet and so disposed that thefront panel of the portable receiver is framed by said panel opening, aloudspeaker of larger dimensions than that contained in the portablereceiver disposed behind said cabinet grille, normally closed switchcontacts carried by the portable receiver for effecting connectionbetween the receiver output and its loudspeaker, and switch contactmeans carried by the cabinet adapted, when the portable receiver isintroduced into the cabinet, to open said normally closed switchcontacts and to simultaneously connect the larger loudspeaker to thereceiver output,

2. In combination, a cabinet provided with a front panel, one portion ofwhich is fitted with a grille and another portion being completely open,a portable radio receiver, complete in itself, adaptedto occupy thespace behind said panel opening of the cabinet and so disposed that thefront panel of the portable receiver is framed by said panel openingwhereby the receiver dial and controls are readily accessible throughsaid opening, a loudspeaker of larger dimensions than that contained inthe portable receiver disposed behind the grille of said cabinet,normally closed spring contacts carried by the portable receiver foreifecting connection between the receiver output and its loudspeaker,and switch contact means carried by the cabinet so constructed andarranged that the mere disposition of the receiver into the spacedesigned therefor behind the cabinet opening causes the normally closedswitch contacts to be broken and permits the simultaneous connection ofthe larger loudspeaker to the receiver output.

MARIO ZAVATTARG.

